Electrically-driven suspended railway.



- matter of the invention.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

RUDOLF PFAFFENBACH, OF LEIPSIC, AND HERMANN MULLER, OF LEIPSlC-GOHLIS, GERMANY.

ELECTRlCALLY-DRIVEN SUSPENDED RAILWAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed January 13, 1904. Serial No. 188,876.

vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Prior to our present invention it has been the general custom in raising loads from a lower horizontal level to a higheras, for instance, from the ground plane to the charging-bell of a blast-furnace (and especially for heavier loads carried by conveying-cars)--to employ elevators or similar lifting devices, which have the great disadvantage that they work intermittently and require continuous attendance in shifting the conveyer-cars from the horizontal level to the elevator, and vice versa. The problem of substituting forthese intermittently-operating vertical or inclined elevators a continuously-working system has been in part solved by the well-known inclines provided with a continuous rope or cable transmission, some of which have been extensively used by us. In such systems, however, the cable-car or suspended car must be pushed along by hand upon the horizontal levelfor instance, when the latter has many curves or branchesand in this respect is like the ordinary conveyer-car or narrow-gage car. As against these expensive systems the present invention presents an arrangement for raising and lowering loads propelled electrically and individually along a horizontal .level, which arrangement operates entirely automatically and continuously without necessitating the interruption even for a moment of the progress of the cars arriving at the lifting device. The problem presented is thus solved in a complete and simple manner by the arrangement constituting the subject- The arrangement is such that an electrically-operated suspended railway which forwards the loads upon the horizontal levels is connected with the higher level to which the loads are to be transported by an incline adapted to be traversed by the carriers (the driving-motor of'the carriers being cut out) through the instrumentality of a hauling cable or chain ranged along the incline, with which the carriers as they arrive at the incline automatically couple by means of a suitable gripping device and from which in leaving the incline they automatically uncouple. 'By the combination of the electrically-driven suspended railway with the continuously-operating conveyer, located at the interposed incline, and the automatic coupling and uncoupling of the suspended carriers a continuous and entirely automatic elevating system is obtained, combined with a similarly satisfactory horizontal system.

We are aware that it has been proposed to assist tramway-vehicles in overcoming inclines by providing thereat a conveyer which draws the vehicle up the inclines. Aside from the difference of the problems involved, however, the present invention, contrary to the tramway, requires the employment of an electrically-driven suspended railway, which is essential as an element of the combination. The more frequently occurring heavy inclines met with in putting the invention into practical use could not be traversed by the tramwaycars, because tramway-cars, in consequence of the invariable location of their centers of gravity, would tip rearwardly or forwardly,

according to where they were engaged by the traveling conveyer. This would be especially the case if the wheels of the tramway-vehicle (which must have at least two axles) were spaced but a short distance apart, which is unavoidable for transporting systems on account of the narrow curves traversed. Therefore in order to prevent the tramway-vehicle from tipping over and to maintain it always in a horizontal positionit would be necessary to make it of a complicated and expensive construction, and in so doing the ditficulty of obtaining a sufliciently small separation of the wheels would be still further increased and the weight of the vehicle would be greater. These difliculties are avoided by the employment of an electrically-driven suspended railway whose cars can traverse the heaviest inclines without fear of tipping over and without any change in their construction.

It is likewise incident to the present invention that by the interdependence of the elements making up the combination the electric motors on the carriers may be of very small the carriers.

power, inasmuch as they have merely to overcome the friction upon the horizontal levels, whereas the work of elevating the carriers is performed by the eXte'riorly-driven mechanical conveyer. The carriers therefore are not obliged to convey any unnecessary deadcline extending from A to B. Ranged along this incline is a traveling conveyer g, (cable or chain,)which passes over the pulleys hand 2', one of which is located in advance of the beginning of the incline and the other in rear of the end thereof. The lower strand of the conveyer may lie above-the trackway, as in Fig. 1, or below the trackway, as in Fig. 2.

One of the conveyer-pulleys 7t 71 is driven mechanically and puts the conveyer in continuous motion in the direction of travel of The upper strand is held at a suitable interval from the rail by means of the guide-rollers 7c and Z.

The carriers are each provided with a grip ping or clamping apparatus of any well-known kind for automatic coupling and uncoupling with the conveyer.

A carrier designed to pass up the incline travels up .to the point A electrically through the instrumentality of the electric motor actuating its traction-gear- At A the gripper or clamping device engages the conveyer, gripping the same from above, below, or sidewise, and couples the carrier to the conveyer. The carrier is then carried up the incline by means of the conveyer. At the point B at the end of the incline the conveyer releases itself from the gripper or clamping device on.

The conveyer is therefore freed from the cable and is driven on further by its electric motor.

That part of the supply-conductor e which lies above the incline is deprived of current ing a series of carriers having pivotally-suspended loads, automatic cable gripping and releasing clutches, and electric propellingmotors provided with current-collectors, two sections of suspended trackway at different altitudes, an intermediate and connecting section of suspended trackway of steep incline, and an auxiliary propelling cable ranged along the said intermediate section and in line with the automatic clutches on the carriers; whereby a continuous and automatic forwarding of the carriers is obtained,from one level to another and up a steep intermediate gradient, while maintaining a vertical suspension of the loads; substantially as described.

2. A system for forwarding loads,comprising a series of carriers having pivotally-suspended loads, automatic cable gripping and releasing clutches, and electric propellingmotors provided with current-collectors, two sections of suspended trackway at different altitudes, an intermediate and connecting section of suspended trackway of steep incline, a supply-conductor having a dead or currentless portion with which the current-collectors remain in touch during their progress along the intermediate section of the trackway, and an auxiliary propelling-cable ranged along the said intermediate section and in line with the automatic clutches on the carrier; whereby a continuous and automatic forwarding of the carriers is obtained, from one level to another and up a steep intermediate gradient, while maintaining a vertical suspension of the loads, and without interrupting mechanical contact of the current-collectors with the supply-conductor; substantially as described.

' In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twowitnesses.

RUDOLF PFAEFENBACH. HERMANN MULLER.

Witnesses:

RUDOLPH FRIoKE, LEON LEITTIN. 

